Knockdown shelving structure



' Jan. 2, 1945.

c. ROSENTHAL KNOCK-DOWN SHELVING STRUCTURE Filed Jan. 18. 1944 F'i. ma

2 Sheets-Sheet 1 BY KMMQZ ATTO R N EYS Patented Jan. 2, 1945 UNITED lSTATE 'KNOCKDOWN SHELVING STRUCTURE Charles Rosenthal, New York, N. Y.,assignor to i Frank M. Katz, Scarsdale, N. Y.

Application J anuary 18, 1944, Serial No. 518,676

This is an invention for a knock-down shelving or shelf structure which,while not necessarily re- 3 Claims.

stricted thereto, is primarily designed to be sold in retail stores inknocked down unpainted condition so that it may be sold and taken homeby the purchaser in a compact easily carried package and then painted tosuit the individual taste of the customer.

.As an object, the invention comprehends a.

knock-down shelving which is so constructed as to be capable ofbeingeasily and readily assembled and secured in its set-up condition.by any use of tool and which shelving, when set-up,

. provides a structure possessing the requisite strength, rigidityandstability;

It is also afeature of the invention to provide an improved knock-downshelving which is so constructed as to facilitate the 'disassemblythereof so that the parts are capable of being com-- pactly stacked ornested together for packaging or storage or shipment.

Fig. 7 is a top plan view or. the modification shown in Fig; 6.

Fig. 8 is a diagrammatic top plan view of a.

plurality of shelving units illustrating a further The invention furtherembodies in a shelving of the indicated character, rear panel memberswhich in addition to serving as a backing for the shelves, aresointerengaged with the shelves and side members-as to materiallystrengthen, brace and reinforce the structure when the same is inassembled set-up condition. i

With the above. recited and other objects in.

. view, the invention is set forth in greater detail. in the followingspecification; particularly pointed outin the appended claims andillustratedin the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective viewof a shelving structure constructed inaccordance with the invention and illustrating. the same in set-upcondition.

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the parts of the shelving structure.disassembled and arranged in compact nested relation for packaging.

Fig; 3 is a vertical sectional view through the 6 as indicated by the. Iline 5-5 in Fig. 4. l 6

modification. l I

Referring to the drawings by characters of reference, the knock-downshelving includes a pair of sidemembers A of substantially identicalconstructio'n, eachof which is preferably fashioned from a length ofwooden board and is provided with a plurality of spaced .transverseslots l0 which are located intermediate the front and rear edges H andI2 of the side member, the slots of one member being adaptedto registerwith those of the other when the members are disposed in matingrelation. When in use, the side members A are adaptedto be disposedvertically. in spaced side-by-side relation with the widths thereofparallel so that the slots 10. are in alignment with each other. Theslots III are usually equidistantly spaced from one another but, inpractice, the uppermost slot of each side memberis disposed in closerrelation to the upper edge l3 thereof than the lowermost slot is to thelower edge I4 of the same.

The shelving also includes a plurality of shelf members B which areapproximately of the same length as that of the side members A but ofslightly greater width than the width of the side members and each shelfmember is formed with a tongue l5 projecting outwardly from each of itsopposite end edges l6 and ll andlocated intermediate the width of theshelf member. The

tongues l5 are of a cross-sectional size and shape to snugly fitwithinthe slots ll] of the side members A and are so located as to dispose thefront edges I8 of the shelf members B flush with the front edges ll ofthe side members A, when the said shelf members are assembled,with theside members. Thisdisposes the rear edge portions I 9 of the shelfmembers B in slightly protruding groove 20 is located in each oftheupperand lower faces of the intermediate shelf member. It should alsobe noted that thefront wall 2| of each groove 20 is disposed slightlyforward of the rear edges-l2 of the side members A, while edges l2. Itwill be further observed that the tongues l are of such a length that asubstantial portion thereof protrudes from each of said slots 1 ii andbeyond the outer side surface of each side member A when the end edgesl6 and I! of the shelf members are in abutting relation with the innerside surfaces of the side members. The tongues are each provided with avertical slot 23 extending through the thickness of the tongue andhaving an. inclined outer wall 24i spaced out- I wardly fromthe outerside face of theside members A, while the inner wall 25 of the slot 23is spaced inwardly from the said outer face of the side member. A wedgeelement 26 is provided for. each ,slot 23 and is formed with an inclinedouter face said rear; panel members. C are" preferably of.

thinner. stock than the side and shelf members and of a width to extendacross the rear of the shelving with the opposite edges 30 and 31 beingdisposed substantiallvflush' with the outer side 4 0 of the lower rearpanel member rests upon and is supported by the rearwardly projectingportion of the lowermost shelf member E while the lower edge of theupper rear panel rests upon the upper edge 4! of the lower rear paneland is supported therebywith said contacting edges 40 and 4| disposed inahorizontal lane in rear of and concealed by the intermediate shelfmemberEZ Y In the mo'dified adaptation, shown in 'Fig. 8, thereisdisclosed a variation of the invention wherein the tongues 15 at theopposite ends of the shelf members G and their receiving slots Ill inthe side members H are respectively offset forwardly and. rearwardly ofthe vertical transverse center line of the shelving so that a number offaces of the side members A. The rear panel members Care of such aheight that the upper and lower edge portions 32 and.,33 snugly fitagainst the bottom'wall's ofthe grooves 2'0 providedin the-confrontingfaces of adjacent shelf.

members B; with the rear faces of the upper and lower edge portions 32and 33 impinging.

against the. rear walls zzor the grooves and. with.

the opposite side edgeportionsill and 3| bearing firmly. against therear edges not the side members A. It will thus be appreciated that therear.

I panel members 0, in addition to providing a andare securedtogether inexactl the same manner as in the previous form of the invention,

with the exception that in this. instance. thesa-id, side-:inembers :D=are 3 slightly wider than the shelf members. E, so-that. when.assembled;, the rear edge portions 351 of the 'side members extendslightly rearward from the rear side edges 36"of' the; shelf members. Inthis instance also, the inner faces of the rear edge portions 35 of the.side members .D are respectively formed with verticalgrooves 31, theforward. edges. of which: grooves are disposed flush with the rear edges36.0f the uppermost and intermediate shelfv mem bers -E, while thelowermost. shelf member; is slightly wider than the said intermediateand: uppermost'shelf members and extends rearwardlyto or slightly beyondthe. rear walls 39"of thev grooves 31- for a purpose'to be;hereinafterset: forth; p 3- Inthisnformofthe invention,- one'or-more rear" panelmembers F. areprovided, two being shownin; the present disclosure which;are ofia: combinedheight to: extend from the:;.upp'er: surface of: the;

lowermost shelfvmember. E tothe-zupperisurfacez of the uppermost shelfmember. The lower edge shelving units maybe installed in side-by-siderelation with'a minimum of space between the units. In this instance theunits may be constructed. without backing members, as shown. in Fig;8;.although it is also within the, purview: of the invention to utilize.the offset. tongue. and slot connection in shelving units or the" typehaving backing members as. disclosed in. the previous forms of theinvention.

From the foregoing it'will be seen that" shelving structure has beenproduced which may be readily'assembled or disassembled withoutem=ployingnails, screws, or similar-fastening devices of this nature whichrequire the use of tools or the services of a mechanic or skilled"orexperi I 1. A knock-down shelvi'ngincludi'ng a pair of identical sidemembers disposed vertically in spaced apart parallel relation andhavinga plurality of longitudinally spacedtransverseslbtsintermediate thefront and rear edges thereof, a:

plurality of shelf members ofa'- width slightly exceeding" the width ofthe side=members and provided with tongues projecting outwardly from"-the intermediate portions of the oppositeends thereof which tonguessnugly'fit the slots of'the side members with the extremities-thereofprotruding from the outer surfaces of thesidemembers: andwhich tonguesareformed with slots extending through: the thickness thereof; a wed'geelement engagingthroughthe slot of each'tongue for. locking. the sideandshelf" members in assem bled relation with the rear edge portions of theadjacent shelf? member's having parallel grooves; and rear.panelmembersz haying'theizupper and lower edge portions: thereof;respectively fitted.

within the grovesofa'djacent: shelf members? and. With-the, opposite:endportionsaof .said rear panel members impinged: against the; rear:edges. ofthe':

sidemembers.

2. In a knock-down shelving structure; a pair of side members disposedvertically, with their widths. arrangedain spaced parallel relation,,;ai

plurality of shelf members disposed-horizontally;

in vertically spaced spanning relation with reference to the :sidemembers; and; detachablyconnected thereto, saidshelfrmembers.'havingfthea 7 rear edge portions thereof protrudingrearwardly beyond the rear edges of the side members and theconfrontingfaces of said protruding rear edge portions of adjacentshelf membershaving parallel longitudinally extending grooves the rear walls of whichgrooves are spaced rearwardly from the rear edges of the side members,and rear panel members havingjthe upper and lower edge portions thereoffitted within the grooves of adjacent shelf members and said rear panelmembers having the Opposite end portions thereof impinged against therear edges of the side members.

3. In a knock-down shelving structure, a pair of side members disposedvertically in spaced parallel relation, a plurality of shelf membersdisposed horizontally in vertically spaced span ning relation withreference to the side members and detachably connected thereto, saidside members having the rear edge portions thereof protruding rearwardlybeyond the rear edgesof the shelf members with the confronting faces ofsaid protruding portions having vertically extending grooves the rearwalls of which grooves are disposed rearwardly of the rear edges of theshelf members, and rear panel members each having theside edge portionsthereof fitted Within the grooves with at least one of the remainingends of each panel member impinged against the rear edge of a sidemember.

CHARLES ROSENTHAL.

